The 2025 NAIA softball tournament was the 44th edition of the NAIA softball championship. The 48-team tournament began on May 11 with Opening Round games across ten different sites and concluded with the 2026 NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, Georgia that started on May 21 and ended on May 28.
After losing to Marian (IN) in the first game of the World Series, Southern Oregon won five straight elimination games, then defeated Oklahoma City (OK) 6–0 to force a winner-take-all championship game. Southern Oregon then beat Oklahoma City again in the second championship game 6–3 to capture their fourth national championship becoming the first team since the format change in 2013 (which removed pool play) to emerge from the elimination bracket an win the national title. Ayla Davies of Southern Oregon won the tournament MVP.
The 48 participating teams were selected from all eligible NAIA teams. 29 teams were awarded automatic bids as either champions and/or runners-up of their conferences and 19 teams were selected at-large by the National Selection Committee. Teams were then placed into one of ten pre-determined Opening Round sites, with eight sites consisting of five teams and two sites consisting of four teams, each of which is conducted via a double-elimination tournament. The winners of each of the Opening Round sites will advance to the NAIA Softball World Series.
Tournament procedure A total of 48 teams entered the tournament. 29 automatic bids were determined by either winning their conference's regular season championship, conference tournament, and/or conference tournament runner-up. The other 19 bids were at-large selected by the NAIA Softball National Selection Committee.
Opening round hosts On May 1, the NAIA announced the ten opening round host sites, which were played from May 11–15.
Venue Location Host Cox Stadium Complex Fayette, MO Central Methodist University UC Softball Complex Williamsburg, KY University of the Cumberlands Grizzly Softball Complex Lawrenceville, GA Georgia Gwinnett College Sue Bowman Field Marion, IN Indiana Wesleyan University Open Space Park Sioux Center, IA Northwestern College Ann Lacy Stadium Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma City University Stilwell Stadium Klamath Falls, OR Oregon Tech St. Mary's University Softball Field San Antonio, TX Our Lady of the Lake University Bill Smith Ballpark Chickasha, OK University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma University Softball Field Ashland, OR Southern Oregon University
Bids Source:
Automatic School Conference Record Berth Last NAIA Appearance Arizona Christian Great Southwest 27–24 Tournament champion 2016 (St. Gregory Bracket) Central Baptist (AR) American Midwest 31–25 Tournament runner-up 2021 (Hattiesburg Bracket) Central Methodist (MO) Heart 38–9 Regular season champion 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Cumberlands (KY) Mid-South 37–7 Tournament champion 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Eastern Oregon Cascade 32–9 Tournament champion 2024 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Evangel (MO) Kansas 40–10 Tournament champion 2024 (San Antonio Bracket) Friends (KS) Kansas 36–13 Regular season champion 2024 (Chickasha Bracket) Georgia Gwinnett Continental 43–8 Tournament champion 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Grand View (IA) Heart 37–13 Tournament champion 2024 (Sioux Center Bracket) Indiana Wesleyan Crossroads 43–9 Tournament runner-up 2024 (Fayette Bracket) Jamestown (ND) North Star 35–15 Tournament champion 2018 (Dodge City Bracket) Johnson (TN) Appalachian 29–13 Tournament champion First appearance LSU–Alexandria Red River 46–7 Best record in Conference & Tournament play 2024 (Chickasha Bracket) Madonna (MI) Wolverine-Hoosier 44–8 Regular season champion 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Marian (IN) Crossroads 44–7 Co-Regular season champion 2024 (Indianapolis Bracket) Middle Georgia State Southern States 38–8 Tournament champion 2024 (Indianapolis Bracket) Missouri Baptist American Midwest 44–6 Regular season champion 2024 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Morningside (IA) Great Plains 33–17 Tournament runner-up 2021 (Southern Oregon Bracket) Northwestern (IA) Great Plains 46–11 Regular season champion 2024 (Sioux Center Bracket) Northwestern Ohio Wolverine-Hoosier 35–16 Tournament champion 2018 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Oklahoma City (OK) Sooner 46–8 Tournament runner-up 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Oregon Tech Cascade 42–9 Co-Regular season champion 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Our Lady of the Lake (TX) Red River 45–7 Regular season champion 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Reinhardt (GA) Appalachian 28–10 Regular season champion 2024 (Hattiesburg Bracket) Rio Grande (OH) River States 44–9 Tournament champion 2024 (Indianapolis Bracket) Saint Xavier (IL) Chicagoland 36–6 Tournament champion 2024 (Sioux Center Bracket) Science & Arts (OK) Sooner 47–7 Regular season champion 2024 NAIA Softball World Series St. Thomas (FL) The Sun 44–6 Tournament champion 2024 (Klamath Falls Bracket) Stillman (LA) HBCU 33–11 Tournament champion 2024 (Hattiesburg Bracket)
At–Large School Conference Record Last NAIA Appearance Baker (KS) Heart 29–17 2024 (Chickasha Bracket) British Columbia Cascade 26–18 First appearance Campbellsville (KY) Mid-South 27–16 2023 (San Antonio Bracket) Coastal Georgia The Sun 35–17 2024 (Williamsburg Bracket) College of Idaho Cascade 26–18 2024 (Fayette Bracket) Cornerstone (MI) Wolverine-Hoosier 35–14 2014 (Lindsey Wilson Bracket) Embry–Riddle (AZ) Great Southwest 27–11 2024 (Klamath Falls Bracket) Freed–Hardeman (TN) Mid-South 20–15 2024 (Oklahoma City Bracket) Hope International (CA) Great Southwest 35–13 2024 (San Antonio Bracket) Houston–Victoria (TX) Red River 29–21 2024 (Oklahoma City Bracket) Keiser (FL) The Sun 39–15 First appearance Midland (NE) Great Plains 37–15 2024 (Chickasha Bracket) Mobile (AL) Southern States 32–18 2023 (Chickasha Bracket) Southeastern (FL) The Sun 40–9 2024 (Lawrenceville Bracket) Southern Oregon Cascade 45–8 2024 NAIA Softball World Series Tennessee Southern Southern States 30–19 2016 (LSU–Alexandria Bracket) Texas A&M–Texarkana Red River 39–10 2022 (Oklahoma City Bracket) Thomas (GA) Southern States 29–20 2018 (Gulf Shores Bracket) William Carey (MS) Southern States 38–15 2024 (Hattiesburg Bracket)
By conference ConferenceTotalSchoolsCascade 5British Columbia, College of Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Oregon Tech, Southern OregonSouthern States 5Middle Georgia State, Mobile (AL), Tennessee Southern, Thomas (GA), William Carey (MS)Red River 4Houston–Victoria (TX), LSU–Alexandria, Our Lady of the Lake (TX), Texas A&M–TexarkanaThe Sun 4Coastal Georgia, Keiser (FL), Southeastern (FL), St. Thomas (FL)Great Plains 3Midland (NE), Morningside (IA), Northwestern (IA)Great Southwest 3Arizona Christian, Embry–Riddle (AZ), Hope International (CA)Heart 3Baker (KS), Central Methodist (MO), Grand View (IA)Mid-South 3Campbellsville (KY), Cumberlands (KY), Freed–Hardeman (TN)Wolverine-Hoosier 3Cornerstone (MI), Madonna (MI), Northwestern OhioAmerican Midwest 2Central Baptist (MO), Missouri BaptistAppalachian 2Johnson (TN), Reinhardt (GA)Crossroads 2Indiana Wesleyan, Marian (IN)Kansas 2Evangel (MO), Friends (KS)Sooner 2Oklahoma City (OK), Science & Arts (OK)Chicagoland 1Saint Xavier (IL)Continental 1Georgia GwinnettHBCU 1Stillman (AL)North Star 1Jamestown (ND)River States 1Rio Grande (OH)
Opening Round The Opening Round was held across ten different sites from May 11 to 15.
Ashland Bracket Hosted by Southern Oregon University at University Softball Field
Chickasha Bracket Hosted by the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma at Bill Smith Ballpark
Fayette Bracket Hosted by Central Methodist University at Cox Stadium Complex
Klamath Falls Bracket Hosted by Oregon Tech at Stilwell Stadium
Lawrenceville Bracket Hosted by Georgia Gwinnett College at Grizzly Softball Complex
Marion Bracket Hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University at Sue Bowman Field
Oklahoma City Bracket Hosted by Oklahoma City University at Ann Lacy Stadium
San Antonio Bracket Hosted by Our Lady of the Lake University at St. Mary's University Softball Field
Sioux Center Bracket Hosted by the Northwestern College at Open Space Park
Williamsburg Bracket Hosted by the University of the Cumberlands at UC Softball Complex
NAIA Softball World Series The NAIA Softball World Series was held at South Commons Complex in Columbus, Georgia from May 22 to 29.
Participants SchoolConferenceRecordHead CoachBracketPrevious NAIAWS AppearancesBest NAIAWS FinishNAIA WSRecord Central Methodist (MO) Heart 41–9 Pat Reardon Fayette 5 T-5th 4–10 Cumberlands (KY) Mid-South 40–7 Bailey Dillender Williamsburg 2 3rd 4–4 Eastern Oregon Cascade 35–9 Nicole Christan San Antonio 2 3rd 5–4 Georgia Gwinnett Continental 46–8 Kat Ihlenburg Lawrenceville 4 3rd 6–8 Grand View (IA) Heart 40–14 Lou A. Yacinich Chickasha 2 T-7th 2–5 Marian (IN) Crossroads 47–7 Scott Fleming Sioux Center 6 4th 6–12 Midland (NE) Great Plains 40–16 Beth Singleton Klamath Falls 3 T-7th 4–9 Oklahoma City (OK) Sooner 49–9 Phil McSpadden Oklahoma City 34 1st 135–51 Reinhardt (GA) Appalachian 32–10 Matthew Wright Marion 4 3rd 6–8 Southern Oregon Cascade 48–8 Jessica Pistole Ashland 14 1st 21–8
Bracket Source:
Game Results All game times are listed in Eastern Time (UTC−05:00).
Championship Games First Game
Second Game
See also 2025 NAIA baseball tournament 2025 NCAA Division I softball tournament 2025 NCAA Division II softball tournament 2025 NCAA Division III softball tournament
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References